Excursión a La Alpujarra

Last week I spent my mornings in Spanish class, and among other things that gave us access to an excellent guided excursion to La Alpujarra, a collection of small villages in the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains.

The Alpujarra was originally settled by Romans, and later occupied by Visigoths from northern Europe who invaded the Iberian peninsula in the 5th century. In the late 15th century, when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel decided that even Moriscos (Muslims they’d forced to convert to Catholicism) were a security risk because of their possible affiliation with Ottoman Turks, the monarchs pushed the Moriscos out of greater Granada up into the mountains. Thousands of Galicians from northern Spain were also resettled in La Alpujarra to build up a Catholic presence.

We visited Lanjarón, Pampaneira, Trevélez, and Capileira.

A castle near Lanjarón where Moriscos forced out of Granada lost their last battle against King Fernando and Queen Isabel’s military in 1550.

Flowing water in Pampaniera.

Tasting local wines, cheeses and cured meats in Pampaneira.

The art of loom weaving has been preserved in Pampaniera, where colorful rugs called jarapas are for sale.

Weather change in Trevélez, the highest town in Spain.

Trevélez became famous for ham because the climate allowed for cool, dry storage over several months. Today, the demand for ham is so great that the process has been industrialized.

True jamón serrano is made with female pigs only, cured with salt from the Mediterranean, and dried for a minimum of 12 months. After salting, these hams will be dried for 18 – 24 months.

Some of the Muslims in Al-Andalus were Berbers from North Africa. The special flat roof construction seen in La Alpujarra can also be found in parts of North Africa.

Buildings in La Alpujarra are built with local materials. Historically they were left unpainted, all the better to blend in with the landscape and avoid attack.

Roofs are made by building a frame with chestnut beams layered with pieces of shale. The top side of the shale is covered with a waterproof clay.

Many buildings are now whitewashed, which adds another layer of protection against the elements.

The underside of this roof has been whitewashed.

In Capileira. If you look closely at the hillside you can see terraces, an effective agricultural and anti-erosion practice in use since the time of the Romans.